Pressure leak indicator



March 14, 1933. R. w. BRADLEY 1,901,432

PRESSURE LEAK INDICATOR Filed July 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Amy //w/vr0/a R. W BRA OLE) ATTORNEY March 14, 1933.

R. W. BRADLEY PRESSURE LEAK INDICATOR Filed July 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VENTOR R. WBRADLEV A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE ROBERT WALTER BRADLEY, OI LDWYCH, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF N EW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01' NEW You LEAK INDICATOR Application fled July 21, 1930, Serial No. 489,609, and in GreatiBritain November 20, 1888.

This invention relates to improvements in gas pressure indicators and more particularly I to gas pressure leak indicators.

'Heretofore it has been found difiicult to locate mechanical defects causin a leak in the tubular members such as the lead sheath of telephone or similar air or gas containin cables. In order to locate such mechanica defects causing aleak of the air or gas, it has beenthe practice up to now to 0 en up a number of joints and apply as an er pres- .sure to the sub-sectionsof ca le. If the applied pressure falls after a certain period of time, it indicated that the mechanical-defect was located in the section under test. I

- According to this invention the fault in the tube containing gas or air under pressure is located by a novel form of control valve combined with a difl'erential pressure an e connected to the tube at intervals, as

or instance, at the joints of the telephone cable and a difi'erential pressure in the tube or cable each side of the point of test is admitted to each corresponding side of the dia- 0 j the information can phragm of the differential pressure gauge.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two embodiments of the invention will be described below and illus- Discharge position.

Fig. 5 shows vertical and cross sections of i the cock shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 at the Oil position. U 4

Fig. 6 shows vertical cross sections of the cock shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 at the Charge.

. position.

Fig. 7 shows vertical cross sections of the cock-shown in Figs. 2, 3 and8'at the Test position.

Fi :8 shows the multiple way cock of Figs.

that an applied gas pressure is not main-' tained after the gas supply has been cut oil and all connecting pipes, cocks and such like sealed, there will be a flow of air from each end of the section towards the point at'which the gasescapes. Consequently, the pressures exlstlng at any two points 3, 4 on one side or the other of the leaking point will be at different levels, the amount of the difierence depending on the size of the leak and the distance apart of the two points 3, 4 selected. If these two points 3 and 4 are connected one to each side of the differential pressure gauge 1), the consequent displacement of the in-' ressure slopebetween the two oints selecte From ex (2) will be a measure of the cable sheath. To these cocks'D and E are connected pipes 5 and 6, the other ends of which connect to cocks B and A of the indicating apparatus.

When the indicator is connected to the cable as described, cocks A and B are closed andcock'C is opened. Cocks D and E are next opened and either the cock B (or cock 'A) is slowly opened and the pressure is ad-v mitted equally to both sides of the dia hragm of the indicator gauge as withcock free access to both sides of the diaphragm is obtainable. Next the cock A. (or B) is opened slowly.

opened The steady position of the pointer is at zeropos'ition and it also indicates that the pr eh steadied in the Connecting pipes and the test can proceed. Cock C is now closed and with the closin of cock C the pressure on the two sides the diaphragm changes and corresponds to the pressure in the cable at the points where the cocks D I and E are attached.

' shown in Fig. 1 a multiple way cock shown in Figs. 2 and 3 can be used. A Fig. 2 shows an elevation, partly in section of the multiple-way cock, Fig. 3 shows a plan of the same and Fig. 8 shows the multiple way cock substituted for the cocks A, B and C. This cock is provided with a numher of operating positions by means of which the various operations as described above in connection with Fig. 1 can be carried out in their proper order and sequence. The use of this multiple way cock also facilitates the testing and prevents wrong connections whichv may cause damage to the indicator. This multiple way cock consists of a tapered barrel 9 bearing in a tapered hole .10 provided in the body 11. The barrel 9 is provided with a handle 7 which carries a pointer 8. The body of the cock is provided with four admittance orifices 12, 13, 14 and 15'each fitted with a threaded connecting nipple. Two of these admittance orifices 12 and 13 are used to connect the gauge andv the other two 14 and 15 for connecting the cable to be tested. On the drum 9 are provided four axiall located grooves 16, 17, 18. and 19 and'two transverse bores 20 and 21 by means of which the various interconnections of the gauge outlets 12 and 13 and the cable pressure inlets 14 and 15 are efi'ected.

The multiple way cock shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 8 is PIOVldQd' with four operating positions, namely, discharge, 01f, charge and test. The sequence of operations of the pressure leak indicator when employing the multiple way cock is as follows Before the indicator is connected to the cable, the gauge is discharged by turning the pointer to Discharge so that the pressure is equalized within the gauge. Fig. 4 shows vertical and cross sections through the cock at the discharge position.

As will be seen the two openings to the gauge, namely, 12 and 13 are both connected by means of the bore 20 and the groove 19 to the opening 14 which connects to outside air when the indicator is not connectedto the cable. The pressure within the gauge is consequently brought to p the atmospheric lated. The indicator is now connected to the cable and the cooks D and E are opened.

The next positionon the multiple way cock is the Charge position. Fig. 6shows the vertical and cross sections of the cock' at this position. The openings 12 and 13 are connected by means of the bore 21 and the groove 17 to the outlet .14 leading to thecock D on the cable. Pressure from the side of the cable to which cock D is connected is consequently admitted equally to both sides of the diaphragm of the gauge. The zero position of the indicator pointer of the gauge can now be checked before the cock is turned tothe test position.

The vertical and cross sections of the cock in the Test position are shown in Fig. 7. One side of the diaphragm of the gauge is connected through the opening 12, groove 16,

opening 14, pipe 5 and cock D to one point of the cable under test. The other side of the diaphragm is connected through opening 13, groove 18, opening 15 and pipe 6 and cook E to the other point of the cable under test. Consequently to each side of the diaphragm, pressure from the cable at pointswhere the cooks D and E are fixed is admitted and the difference in these pressures is indicated by the position of the pointer.

The sensitivity of the gauge may be increased by afiixing a small concave mirror of suitablefocal length at the pivot of the index needle. A beam'of light may then be directed on to this mirror so that an image will Y be thrown on a ground glass scale placed in the planeof the reflected beam at a suitable distance from it. The deflection obtained, by

observing the movement of the spot on the ground glass scale, will be greater than the movement of the tip of the pointer by the ratio of the length of the pointer to the distance the mirror is placed from the ground glass scale.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a gas filled cable, a pressure indicating device connected thereto, a means located between said indicating device and said cable for controlling the passage of gas to said indicating device from said cable, said controlling means comprising a single valve mechanism, an operating handle thereon, said valve being designed to beoperated to permit a flow .of gas from one source to both sides of said indicating de vice in one position, from each of two sources to each of two sides, respectively, of said device in another position, and completely stopping the passage of gas in another position.

2. In combination with a gas filled cable, a pressure indicating device, said pressure in.-

dicating device connected across the cable by means of two pilot tubes, means located between said cable and said indicatin device and connected to said pilot tubes or controlling the passage of gas from said cable to said indicating device, said controlling device comprising a valve having a single operating.

handle, sald valve being designed to hemtated to permit a flow of gas throu h one of said pilot tubes to both sides of sai indicating device when in one position, through both of said pilot tubes to said indicating device when it is set in another position, andcompletely stopping the passage of gas when it is in another position.

3. In combination with a gas filled cable, a pressure leakindicator comprisin a differential pressure gauge, two pilot tu connecting said indicator to the cable to be tested,

a means in the line of said pilot tubes be- I tween said cable and said indicator for controlling the passage of gas" from said cable to said indicator, said. means comprising a valve having a single operating handle, said valve being designed to be rotated to permit a flow of gas either through one or both ofsaid pilot tubes, or for completely stopping the passage of gas.

. In witnes whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of June, 1930.

ROBERT WALTER BRADLEY. 

